Behold the Man

For thousands of years, God's people sacrificed lambs to represent salvation through the promised redeemer.  In Eden, "...for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21)  The first ounce of blood from that original lamb prefigured Christ.  The sinners were clothed in the emblem of that innocent's righteousness. Ever since then lambs were slaughtered as a picture of what Christ would do.  In His desire to draw mankind to Himself, Christ taught His children about His sacrifice in small doses, explaining only as much as they could understand.  The glory of the lesson peaked at the first passover. The Lord said, "...Every man shall take for himself a lamb...a lamb for a household...Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year...Then...kill it at twilight.  And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses...Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire..."  (Exodus 12:3-8)

The passover rituals were a living prophetic exhibition of what Christ's death would look like.  The children of Israel were blessed, in that yearly, they saw images that should have helped them recognize the Messiah.  Our sterile lives prevent us from fully realizing Christ as the Lamb of God.  We see beautiful paintings which picture Christ gracefully draped with purple cloth.  Or we see horrific motion pictures trying to express His passion.  This kind of imagery is historical fiction. But there is still a reality.  A reality of what Israel saw yearly and a reality that God chose to express in a very specific way.  The Lord was not arbitrary or limited in how He chose to articulate Christ's sacrifice.  Maybe it would do us good to look at His effigy.

The Samaritans have kept passover ever since the 12 tribes were divided. Of course they also worshiped many idols, but passover was still observed.  Today, Samaritans still live in what was the northern kingdom of Israel and they still observe passover.  Looking at their ceremonies will teach us some of what God wanted us to understand.  "Behold the Man" (John 19:5)

"Every man shall take for himself a lamb" Ex 12:3

"He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. " Acts 8:32

"This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many." Mark 14:24
"...And His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44

"And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses..." Ex. 12:7

"And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him." Mark 15:25

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels...I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me." Psalms 22:14, 17

"For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me." Psalms 22:16

"And sitting down they watched Him there." Matthew 27:36

"For the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city..." John 19:20

"Eat not of it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire - its head with its legs and its entrails." Ex 12:9
"His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." Revelation 1: 14, 15

"And they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire..." Ex. 12:8  "Take eat; this is my body." Matt. 26:26

"Behold the man!" John 19:5